Wedge lock tool-head fastener



y 1953 c. F. BROWNFIELD 2,844,414

WEDGE LOCK TOOL-HEAD FASTE HR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 10. 1955 INVENTOR. (x/0:45: awmw/na C. F. BROWNFIELD WEDGE LOCK TOOL-HEAD FASTENER Jul 22.31958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 10, 1956 5 m E y. 2 PM: 4 a 6 M. m n 4 a w 5 s n WW \I 1 l I. V A 1.... 1 4 m a x F W?? 44% m. M 5

United States Patent 2,844,414 WEDGE LOCK TOOL-HEAD FASTENER Charles F. Brownfield, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 10, 1956, Serial No. 615,194 1 Claim. (Cl. 30633) My invention relates to improvements in tool-head fasteners and similar devices.

My invention relates more particularly to fasteners for metal tool-heads such as hammers, axes, hatchets and the like that have a wooden handle and to which the tool-head is fastened with a wedge locking device for use.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a novel unit for holding a tool-head on the end of a wooden handle.

A further object of the invention is to provide said unit either as a separate unit capable of use with standard tool heads and handles, or as a modified construction of a standard tool-head.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clamp unit having spring fingers and a wedge portion which connects a tool head on the end of a handle therefor in a locking manner so that the tool-head is incapable of being released during use of the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clamp unit of the type described that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and capable of easy use by unskilled persons to permanently connect tool-heads and their handles.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the following description wherein reference is had to the accompanying drawings, upon which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a hammer-head and handle shown connected together by my improved unit;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof taken generally on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front perspective view of the clamp unit which I employ; v

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a modified form of tool-head handle with portions thereof broken in section to more clearly show other parts; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

In the embodiment of the invention which I have chosen to illustrate and describe the same, I have shown an assembled hammer which may include the usual wooden handle that has a tapered end portion 12 which extends through an opening 14 in the body portion 16 of a hammer-head 18. The hammer-head and handle are adapted to be locked together by means of a connector member which may include a rectangularly shaped cap 20 which is provided with a downwardly depending medial wedge portion 22 that normally splits the wood of the end of the handle to compress the same tightly in the opening 14 through the hammer-head body.

In addition to the wedge member 22 I have provided a pair of spring steel finger members 24 which may be fastened by welding or otherwise by the outwardly turned ledge portions 26 to the bottom wall 28 of the cap 20. The finger members 24 may extend downwardly a desired distance below the end of the hammer body 16 and lie in slots 30 in the side walls 32 of the handle 12, the

2,844,414 Patented July 22, 1 958 slots 30 terminating in transverse notches 34 in the handle. The ends of the spring fingers 24 are provided with turned-in ledges 36 which engage in the notches 34.

When the hammer-head or other tool head is assembled on the end of a tool handle with the unit shown, the wedge portion 22 securely locks the outer end of the handle to the tool head and is maintained in this position by means of the spring fingers 24 and ledge portions 36 which prevent withdrawal of the head 20 from the end of the handle. In order to remove the same it is necessary to release the ledges 36 from the notches 34 so that the tool-head may be removed.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown a hammer-head 40 which may have the body portion 42 provided with a tapered cavity or socket 44 to receive the end 46 of a handle 48. The opening 44 is closed at the upper end by an end wall 50 from which a tapered wedge portion 52 extends. The side walls 42a and 42b of the hammer-head body each have spring fingers 54 connected thereto and extending downwardly therefrom, the spring fingers 54 lying in shallow grooves 66 in the side walls of the handle 48 and the grooves terminating in inwardly directed notches 58. The fingers 54 also have inwardly turned end ledge portions 60 that engage in the notches 58 to lock the tool-head in position on the handle when the tool head is driven on the end of the handle and the wood is split by the wedge member 52 and the spring fingers are snapped into position in the notches 58.

While I have shown the spring fingers connected to the side walls 42a and 42b by rivet members 62, the same may also be welded or otherwise fastened to the same if desired.

From the foregoing description it can be seen that with the combination of the wedge portion on the cap of the handle unit and the spring fingers that are pressed into notches in the sides of the wooden handle, the toolhead is fixedly locked in position and will not become loosened or fly off even though the tool is subjected to hard and unusual usage. When it is desired to remove the tool-head, the same can be done by raising the spring fingers and releasing the ends from the notches in the handle, after which the tool-head may be withdrawn from the end of the handle.

While I have illustrated and described the specific embodiment of the invention and a modification thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made in the exact details shown and Iv do not wish to be limited in any particular; rather what I desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A unit for connecting together a tool-head having an opening therethrough to receive the attaching end of a wooden handle therefor and the handle, said handle having slots in the side walls of its end terminating in notches, said unit having a cap portion and a pair of depending spring fingers, each of said fingers having an inturned end edge portion, said cap portion adapted to overlie the end of a tool-head and handle connected together with said spring fingers extending down through the opening in said tool-head and lying in said slots in the side walls of said handle with the inturned end ledge portions of the same engaging the notches in the body of said handle, said cap portion adapted to overlie the opening in the tool-head against the end of said handle, said cap portion having a wedge portion centrally thereof extending into a crack in the end of said wooden handle to expand the sides of the same against the walls of the openingin said tool-head, the attaching end of said handle being tapered inwardly from said notches, said notches being spaced a sufficient distance below the tool-head so 3 that means such as a screwdriver blade may be used to pry 1 654,943 said inturned end edge portions of said fingers out of said 739,652 notches for easy removal of said tool-head. 885,286 928,322 References Cited in the file of this patent 5 1 206,575 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,431,153

20,693 Bennett June 29, 1858 Butler July 31, 1900 Dalrymple Sept. 22, 1903 Phillis Apr. 21, 1908 Merrill July 20, 1909 Moore Nov. 28, 1916 Crawford Oct. 10, 1922 

